I have gallery representation at ArcherWest Gallery in MA. I'm really excited to be working with them. I will have a list of show dates coming soon along with links to their webpage as my work becomes available.

You can check out their website under my Links.

Project Bank: Converse

Friday, August 5, 2011

Project Bank: To Break Or Not To Break???

So, I've received a lot of feed back about Project Bank. The consensus that I've come to realize is most people will not break something handmade even if the art was created with speed and little care. If it's visually appealing. it's more likely to be kept, and therefor the project is obsolete.

I was asked by another artist "What about the object wants to make you want to break it?"

I thought my philosophy on material objects was enough to persuade a persons to destroy it. I also expected that most people would understand the art of breaking the piece as a liberating experience. Furthermore, gain money as a reward for it's destruction.

Boy was I wrong....

Apparently, I didn't understand the question, and not only that, I didn't understand the psychology behind the perception of beauty.  If the object is deemed beautiful the majority of the population will not destroy beauty, but cherish it.

So, with my new understanding I go back to the question at hand, "What about this object make you want to break it?". I return to my studio pondering this question and I thought to myself what if the object is not aesthetically appealing and also broken.

Would a person be more inclined to break and object which is already broken (broken meaning has faults and cracks) but is till able to fulfill it's purpose?

With these questions in mind I've started to make objects that reflect my semi-rhetorical question.

I'm curious to find out how these new objects are perceived. All comments are welcome and I will update with photos shortly.

Project bank

Unlike most artist I have a hard time saving money. There is always SOMETHING I think I need or that I really  do need but didn't plan on buying it right away. I keep telling myself, Tracy, you need to save money! I make plans to save and I do for a while and then I'm always back to my starting point. So, one day like most days I'm sitting in my studio contemplating  banks. I asked myself what kind of bank would I enjoy that would also keep my grubby little clay hands from getting at the goods? I hated the idea of a traditional piggy bank only because to me they are gaudy and  Yell, HEY YOU, I"M FILLED WITH MONEY SO FEEL FREE TO TAKE ME. Not like I've had many issues with theft in the past, but I didn't want anyone *cough* my parents to see it and pick it up, give it a little shake and say, Ah, she does have money! Which in my case would most likely happen. So, I wanted to be discrete about where I "Hide" my savings.  I do have a jar that I keep my change in, so I thought how great would it be if I had a bank for just my bills. I thought to myself; Imagine all the money I would save if I could tuck my bills someplace; a place that I can't get to. So, here I am in my studio with these thought floating around in my head. And I immediately thought of the rock with the key. EUREKA! Some kind of sculpture which doesn't look like a bank at all and it's sole purpose in life is to keep bills, kind of like the rock with the key, except in my case you can't get the key out! So, I started toying with the idea of creating a simple sculpture that you had to break to in order to get the hard earned cash. I do enjoy breaking things, it's so liberating, so rewarding and with a awesome incentive to break an object and gain a price inside. Almost pinata like. So I started building, I wanted to make the sculpture look like a well made piece of art, but make it quickly so I'm not wasting time on something that will essentially be broken. Here are two examples of what I've come up with.





These two sculptures were easy to make, created from thrown and altered clay. The one I call tree on the top is about a foot tall. To texture the sculpture I just took a rock and beat the clay with it and the leafs were created by pulling wet clay quickly and attaching it. I used black underglaze pencil to make the rings. Over all it took around an hour to slap together. The tubular top is perfect for sliding bills into, and the great thing about bills are they unravel and make it almost impossible to get out once they go in. The sculpture below was build in the same way, once again the protruding orange pieces are wet coils that I pulled out and stuck around the piece. I used a pencil to create the texture and again it also took an hour to make.
Currently in my studio I have 6 other sculptures/jugs which are also intended to be banks. They are currently awaiting my return for the final glazing process.
Starting in August I'm going to video diary my action of putting money into the bank for a whole year. I'm not going to count the money I deposit or keep a log of how much I put in, because, well part of the fun besides breaking it of  course  is to find out how much I saved!
I know most people have hangup about breaking art, but this act of breaking is a magical experience an experience which will hopefully lead you to a deeper understanding of simplicity..
Unfortunately,  In today's society we want to hold on to stuff, stuff is what's causing us the consumer to fall deeper into debt! This should be a liberating experience not only because you are saving, but because you are letting go of the object.
I hope through my saving process  you all will follow me into my saving journey and in the end be as excited about breaking this thing as much as I am.
Each sculpture/bank will be for sale at a reasonable price. They are object to help you save money not spend it and hopefully I will be able to teach you all through this process that you don't have to hold on to every object it's ok to let go.

 

This piece is called Disfunctional Cupcake.

 

 

These pieces are almost complete. They have been bisqued and are now awaiting glazing.

New photos coming very soon.